Hi folks,
Here are some preview shots of a built-up prototype of the new Mk.IXc from Tamiya. Please note, this was made from early shots, so some details may not be complete yet. These images plus the box-art will be in the November issue of Tamiya Model Magazine, and I'll run a kit preview and an in-depth build article in the mag as soon as I can.
Cheers!
Marcus,
TMMI
http://www.tamiyamodelmagazine.com/

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looking good for sure. Note the gyro gunsight and various other features that point to a late 'IX' configuration. I hope there is provision for an early IX as well for those who want to do Johnnie Johnsons JE-J EN398 amongst other a/c.

I'm not making any judgement call based on these early test shots, lets give the boys at Tamiya some breathing space.

Prof

These photos show an obviously excellent kit, but raise a number of issues as far as JE-J (supposed to be one of the marking options) is concerned. Mk. IX underwent a myriad of minor changes during its life cycle, and going from an early to latest production model with a help of optional parts may not be easy without compromises. I have tried to highlight some of the points here:

http://www.spitfiresite.com/blog/2009/09/tamiya-spitfire-mk-ix-pictures.html

_______________________________________________

Editor
The Spitfire Site - www.spitfiresite.com

He mentioned parts for both early and late Mk. IX, non-bulged cowling, short air intake, un-clipped wings the appropriate cannon bulges. He also mentioned both rudders.

asfds

Webmaster, The 109 Lair

pre-order placed - wonder if they'll make a IXe as well?

The detail on that is exquisite.
Radu

I do note that the link type gear is not representative of most wartime IXs, but it'll be great for those wanting to adapt to Seafires, etc.

I'll be keeping an eye out for the 50% off sale inevitable at one or another hobby retailer...

bob

p.s. I didn't want to do JEJ anyway!

b

So a friend says: "cheer up things could be worse; so I cheered up and sure as hell Things Got Worse!

That looks incredible and if I am a good boy I hope to get at least a couple

So which scheme do you go for? I have few 1/48 projects in the pile with a view to doing the following:

Clostermann's NL-B
92 Sqn Mk VIII QJ-F with the pointy wingtips
PR IX
Early 616 Sqn MK 1X c with five spoke wheels, large cannon bulges, small carburettor intake etc

I might have to re-think this now!
cheers,
Chris

I sure hope the release date is not pushed back. I have two on pre-order.

Thanks for the images!

From what I have been able to piece together from studying every photo I can find, this Spitfire looks to be a tour de force from Tamiya. Nothing in the shape from what I've seen sets off any of the warning bells in my overdeveloped sense of shape.The surface detail appears to me to be the finest representation I've ever seen in a plastic model kit.

As pointed out earlier, the gearlegs are the later torsion link type, as are the main gear doors. Not correct for a Spit IX, but an easy correction to make without having to buy aftermarket parts.

To be completely accurate, the wing forward of the main spar had the flush rivets filled and sanded. Its a fine point. Also, some Spits had the seam line at the very leading edge of the wing filled, while others had a visible line.

This is a must-have kit for me. I am also excited to see that the removable panels seem to go on seamlessly, not being a big exposed engine panel type guy.

Wow. Roy

And they fit, too !

...Or, did they know this was coming? i kind of doubt it.

Many thanks for your input.

Cheers,

david

Tamiya's security is excellent these days.

Unless they re-engineer their kit to remove all the fiddly bits and just make it a nice easy to build, reasonably priced color scheme canvas, I think they would be making a big mistake.

Roy

Hi,

How can you tell by looking at the few photos that have been seen so far? I know you have looked at a billion Spitfire photos and a ton of drawings, but I find it interesting that you can do this effectively. There hasn't been any shots from above, nor a perfect side view, so I find it hard to tell. Plus, I'll wait until I see it in the flesh (yes I have pre-ordered) before I comment. Too bad about the u/c and doors though, but again, these few photos are based on test shots, and here is hoping they made corrections as required.

Again, I am not criticizing you, just find it tough for anyone to tell.

Cheers
Brad

"Max Flex" The key to Naval Success

Hi Brad,

I'm not saying that it is dimensionally correct, but what I can say is that from looking at about a skabillion photos of the Spit, when a kit doesn't get shapes right, it tends to trip warning lights in my head. Salient points such as spinner and prop blade shapes, so often missed by model companies, look very accurate to my eye, for example. These are points where the PCM Spit did not do so well.

I will tell you that my sense of shape is very highly developed. Don't want it, but its a gift that I'm stuck with. I can see faults that others miss. For example, once Bill Koster told me that there was a shape problem with the 1/48th F-86D from Monogram, but no one had ever caught it. He should know, that kit was his baby. I said "Yeah, the radome is too long and pointy". He almost fell off his chair. I'm not bragging. I can see this stuff.

I mostly keep it to myself unless asked these days, as it tends to piss people off when I point out errors with beloved kits.

HTH Roy

Hi Roy,

I fully understand. I am truly looking forward to this kit, especially if BR138 AU-G Skychief II is one of the options. I can tell you though, that there is an issue that I am not too keen on already, and it seems to be the flair these days... rivets...it was the one and only thing that bugged me about thier Zeros and will probably bug me here too if they are present all over the model. Just not my thang.

Cheers
Brad

"Max Flex" The key to Naval Success

as subtly scribed rings, as they should be.

A good coat of paint will partly fill many of them in as it tends to do on the real thing. As long as you don't put a dark wash in them, I have a feeling they will end up looking pretty good. Sounds like I'm schilling for Tamiya, but I'm not. If they want to send me a free kit for whatever reasons, I'd not be too proud to accept it.

I'm more hoping that they avoid the upper wing tyre bulge and give us an early style carb intake, early style reflector gunsight, and the early style wide cannon bulges for the early Mk IX series. The multi piece upper cowl I'm not so concerned with, as they are quite rare.

Roy

Hi,

I hope you are right about the rivets.

Cheers
Brad

"Max Flex" The key to Naval Success

...hell this is the Internet after all, where would we all be without wild-arsed assumptions and falsehood...

One, the pics are clearly identical to those used in the pre-release literature we saw a week or two back when the first announcement was made, and as mentioned are of a 'prototype' kit, subject to change and ammendment.

Two, Marcus already made a post detailing some of the options in the kit, standard wing-tips, optional cannon fairings, different wheels, elevators and rudders...

Finally, our own Bob Swaddling is, by his own admission, deeply involved in the development of the kit.

I for one am not going to pass any sort of judgement whatsoever about what the kit might or might not include, I have one on pre-order and I'll see what its really like when its in my hands. Given the information at hand at the moment I don't doubt the kit will be a first class product.

I'm certainly a hell of a lot more enthusiastic about this kit than any of the novelty styrene dog-turds Trumpeter have inflicted on us lately!

...to throw off the industry spies.

Anyone 'in the know'.....knows that Tamiya is ready to release their uber-detailed 1/32 F-22 Raptor!


You'll see

There is no such thing as an unbuildable kit, just some kits one may consider not worth building.

... as so many of us will be wanting to buy this the moment it hits the shelves!!! Perhaps we ought to have a Tamiya 1/32 Spitfire IXc group build when it is available? S

:>

If it were not for those very heavy panel lines I would jump at this
Price wise is also over the top. And no we do not get discounted prices anywhere in SA. There is a (almost) fixed retail. (price variance between retailers not more than 2%)
My PCM kits should suffice me (but may consider the Tamiya kit sometime)

CharlieH
www.wildaviation.com